Tag: Georgia defense

This NFL draft stat shows how dominant Georgia’s defense really is

This shows just how insane the UGA defense has been over the last few years

Head coach Kirby Smart has transformed Georgia’s defense into one of the most formidable units in college football. It has a track record of not only dominating on the field but also producing top-tier NFL talent.

NFL teams have clearly taken notice of UGA’s success and have embraced the defensive teachings of Smart and his team.

The Bulldogs have had a first-round defender taken at every defensive position over the last three NFL drafts, including three selections on Thursday night. Since 2021, the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles account for six of the eight Georgia defenders to be selected in the first round, with three selections each.

Here’s where each first-round Bulldog defender has landed over that time span:

UGA football DE named top returning sophomore at his position

Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Mykel Williams, who is out for the spring, has been named as the top returning sophomore at his position.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Mykel Williams has been named as the top returning sophomore at his position. Williams is currently injured and not able to participate in spring practice due to a foot injury.

Williams hopes to return to full strength this fall in time for Georgia’s season opener on Tennessee-Martin on Sept. 2. Georgia football is coming off winning back-to-back national championships.

Mykel Williams, a former five-star recruit, helped put pressure on opposing quarterbacks in his true freshman season with the Dawgs. In 2022, Williams recorded 4.5 sacks and 28 total tackles.

Williams is expected to be Georgia’s top pass rusher for the 2023 college football season. The Bulldogs are currently thin at the edge position due to a number of injuries. However, Georgia has a lot of talent at outside linebacker and defensive end.

Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Mykel Williams came on strong at the end of the 2022 season. He finished the College Football Playoff with seven total tackles and 2.0 sacks across two games.

Bleacher Report considers Mykel Williams to be the top returning sophomore defensive end ahead of Wyoming’s Braden Siders. It notes that, like most Georgia defenders, Williams is no slouch at defending the run.

Per Pro Football Focus, his run-defense grade of 75.9 was first among freshman defensive ends. The outlet also ranks Williams as the fifth-best returning edge defender in the nation for 2023.

Mykel Williams has a lot of potential for improvement despite his outstanding freshman season. Williams could be a first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft if he keeps up his strong play.

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Georgia OLB Chaz Chambliss talks defensive expectations: ‘Anything else is not good enough.’

It’s all business for this Georgia defense…

Georgia’s offense has taken strides over back-to-back national title seasons, but defense has always been a focus in Athens, especially during head coach Kirby Smart’s tenure.

Smart brought a defense he helped develop at Alabama with a Nick Saban to Athens and has tweaked it to reflect the ever-changing offensive systems in college football.

Even with massive roster turnover from season-to-season thanks to the transfer portal and NFL draft, Smart and the Bulldogs continue to reload and suffocate opposing offenses.

Outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss will be an important part of a young outside linebacker corps following the 2022 season. A former four-star recruit in the class of 2021, Chambliss saw the most action of his career last season and played extensively after the injury to edge defender Nolan Smith.

According to Chambliss, the Bulldogs defensive mindset is what sets them apart.

“Nobody runs the ball on us, nobody gets past third downs on us. Nobody gets in our end zone. … Anything else is not good enough.”

Chambliss noted the youth at outside linebacker and mentioned a lesson he learned from NFL draft-bound teammates Smith and Robert Beal Jr.

“Just being there for the young guys like they were there for me. They were there for me and were helping me get through all the times I had as a freshman because that’s a long journey to when you get to playing shape. Right now, it’s just embracing that role and trying to help the young guys.”

What’s valuable for Georgia is Chambliss’ growth as a third-year defender.

“I feel like a whole different player from the beginning to the end. From Oregon to Ohio State to TCU, it feels like a whole different game.”

Chambliss is the most senior member among an outside linebacker room that includes rising sophomores Marvin Jones Jr. and Darris Smith, along with true freshmen Samuel M’Pemba, Gabe Harris, and Damon Wilson Jr.

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Every Georgia football shutout during the Kirby Smart era

The Georgia Bulldogs have the most shutouts in college football since hiring coach Kirby Smart

The Georgia Bulldogs have the most shutouts in college football since hiring head coach Kirby Smart in 2016. Kirby Smart is one of the top defensive minds in college football if not the best defensive coach.

In 2021, Georgia had a historically good defense. Alabama was the only team to score over 17 points on the Georgia defense. A record five players from the UGA defense were drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Additionally, Georgia recorded three shutouts during the 2021 season.

Kirby Smart and Georgia added to the tally of shutouts with a 33-0 win over Samford on Sept. 10. Let’s take a look back at all nine of Georgia’s shutouts since Kirby Smart took over as head coach.

Seahawks pick Georgia CB in second round of this 2022 NFL mock draft

However, both Reed and Jones are about to become free agents.

The Seahawks appear to be in much better shape at cornerback than they were heading into the 2021 season. At the very least, they have a solid top three options on the outside in Tre Brown, D.J. Reed and Sidney Jones. However, both Reed and Jones are about to become free agents and losing either one of them would represent a significant blow to their depth.

If that happens, reloading in the 2022 NFL draft might be a good idea. In a recent three-round mock by Luke Easterling at Draft Wire, Seattle used the No. 41 overall pick on Georgia cornerback Derion Kendrick.

Kendrick (six-foot, 190 pounds) has the look and the length of a prototypical Pete Carroll cornerback. He’s also got some ball skills, having posted seven interceptions and 14 passes defensed in 49 college games. Here’s a look at some of his tape.

Kendrick vs. Wake Forest (2019)

Kendrick vs. Ohio State (2020)

Kendrick vs. Clemson (2021)

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Packers draft preview: Scouting the historic Georgia Bulldogs defense

Might the Packers take a player from the historic Georgia defense in the 2022 NFL draft? Packers Wire provides an in-depth look at the group.

The 2021 Georgia Bulldogs have one of the best defensive units in college football history.

Prior to the SEC Championship game against Alabama, the Bulldogs were giving up less than a touchdown per game. They enter Friday’s game against Michigan giving up 9.5 points per game after giving up 41 against Alabama in the conference title game.

A big reason for Georgia’s stout defensive is their dominant front-seven. They are giving up just 2.61 yards per rushing attempt and have only allowed three rushing touchdowns all season.

It’s a defensive unit that will likely have 11 players hear their name called (if they all declare) in the 2022 NFL draft.

After the Green Bay Packers hit a home run with Eric Stokes in the 2021 NFL Draft, they could go back to the Georgia defensive pipeline again in 2022. Let’s take a closer look at those 11 prospects.

Note: For this preview, I chatted with Shane Coughlin, the Director of College Scouting for the Shrine Bowl.

Three Georgia Bulldogs named Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Players of the Week

Three Dawgs named Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Players of the Week

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Three Georgia Bulldogs – defensive linemen Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt and outside linebacker Adam Anderson – have been named the Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Players of the Week for their performance in a 10-3 win over Clemson.

The Dawgs had 7 sacks, held Clemson to 3 points, 180 total yards and just 2 yards rushing on the night. It was maybe the most dominant defensive performance I’ve ever seen from the Dawgs.

A huge part of that was because of the players listed below.

Obviously the whole defense deserves recognition and their were other players (Nakobe Dean and Lewis Cine) who absolutely balled out. But remember, this is an award for seniors only, which is why these were the three players selected.

The whole nation is talking about the 6-foot-6, 340 pound monster that is Jordan Davis. He was incredible on Saturday, recording 3 tackles, 1 sack and 2 tackles for a loss.

Adam Anderson showed off his athleticism and was all over the field on Saturday. Anderson had 5 tackles, a sack and a tackle for a loss.

And Devonte Wyatt was a disruptive force all night. He had 3 tackles and batted 2 balls down at the line of scrimmage.

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Georgia Bulldogs make 247Sports’ list of top-10 CFB defenses for 2021

The Georgia Bulldogs made 247Sports’ list of the top-10 projected CFB defenses for 2021

Georgia’s defense took a step back in 2020 after a phenomenal 2019 season in which the group ranked top-five in the FBS in nearly every category.

Last season, though, the Dawgs just seemed soft on defense, especially when it came to the passing game. After ranking 31st in the nation in 2019, Georgia’s passing defense ranked 88th last year, giving up 248.7 passing yards per game. Georgia’s rush defense, however, has now ranked No. 1 in the nation in back-to-back seasons, giving up an average of just 73.4 yards per game on the ground over the last two years.

And that has to be what led to 247Sports projecting Georgia to have one of college football’s top-10 defenses in 2021. Seeing as how Georgia loses Richard LeCounte, Mark Webb, Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, DJ Daniel and Tyrique Stevenson, I would not expect the passing defense to improve all that much.

On Georgia’s 2021 defense, 247 wrote:

Labeled the ‘alpha male’ on Georgia’s defense, nose tackle Jordan Davis has a chance to be the SEC’s top interior defensive lineman this fall. He’s that good. Behind Davis in the middle of the defense at linebacker is perhaps the Bulldogs’ top individual position unit. Upperclassmen Nakobe Dean, Adam Anderson, Quay Walker and Nolan Smith are the projected starters and each brings tenacity to the field. Dean led this defense in tackles last season and should do so again in 2021 if he stays healthy. He’s a player with a nose for the football and moves effortlessly at the position.

Georgia football player card: DB Kelee Ringo

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Kelee Ringo comes to Athens after having offseason shoulder surgery.

Kelee Ringo, defensive back (No. 5):

Class: Freshman

Height: 6-2

Weight: 205 pounds

Hometown: Tacoma, Washington

High School: Saguaro (Arizona)

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Kelee Ringo comes to Athens after being rated as a five-star recruit. Most scouting services considered Ringo to be the top cornerback recruit in the class of 2020.

Ringo played in the 2020 All-American Bowl and committed to the University of Georgia during the game.

He played both defensive back and running back at Saguaro High School. As a junior, Ringo ran a 10.4 one-hundred meters. He has elite size and speed for a cornerback. Georgia football was pursuing a four-star defensive end (Quintin Somerville), who is a member of the class of 2021 at Saguaro High School.

Ringo underwent offseason shoulder surgery and is expected to miss a portion of the 2020 college football season.

Daran Branch, Kelee Ringo, Jalen Kimber and Major Burns are Georgia’s four scholarship defensive backs in the class of 2020. These four have a lot of talent.

Georgia’s secondary is deep this season with Eric Stokes, D.J. Daniel, Tyson Campbell, Richard LeCounte, Lewis Cine and more. Daniel and LeCounte are both seniors, so there could be a large contingent of new faces in the 2021 Georgia secondary. Campbell and Stokes have NFL potential and could leave following their junior season this year.

Ringo will be exciting to watch when he gets healthy.

Saguaro’s Kelee Ringo wins heat of the 200 meters during the 2019 Arizona State Track and Field Championship at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona, May 03, 2019.

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Georgia football player card: DB Jalen Kimber

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Jalen Kimber played elite high school competition at Mansfield Timberview in Texas.

Jalen Kimber, defensive back (No. 6):

Class: Freshman

Height: 6-0

Weight: 170 pounds

Hometown: Mansfield, Texas

High School: Mansfield Timberview

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Jalen Kimber is yet another example of Kirby Smart going beyond Georgia’s typical recruiting sphere in order to secure the nation’s top talent. Kimber is a four-star cornerback and was a member of the class of 2020.

Kimber brings incredible athleticism to Athens. He runs a 4.4 forty yard dash and has a 42 inch vertical jump. He was selected to the 2020 All-American Bowl.

He played against stout high school competition in Texas. Additionally, Kimber enrolled early in Athens, so he should be quite prepared for college football’s high level of competition.

Daran Branch, Kelee Ringo (who recently underwent shoulder surgery), Jalen Kimber, and Major Burns make up Georgia’s four scholarship defensive backs in the class of 2020. The four have a lot of talent.

Georgia’s secondary is deep this season with the likes of Eric Stokes, DJ Daniel, Tyson Campbell, Richard LeCounte, Lewis Cine and more. Daniel and LeCounte are both seniors, so there could be a large contingent of new faces in the 2021 Georgia secondary.

Throwback to the day Kimber signed with the Georgia Bulldogs:

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